Rajouri, Aug 3: A protest dharna was held at Surankote town on Wednesday against district administration Poonch accusing it of carelessness to deal with the flash flood related situation. The protest dharna that started on Wednesday morning was going on in when the last reports came.
The protestors included members of flood affected families, civil society, and PRIs headed by DDC member Shahnawaz Choudhary. They assembled in main town and sat on dharna demanding inclusive rehabilitation of flood victims and providing them adequate compensation of losses.
The protest dharna continued throughout the day and protesters said that widespread losses have taken place due to flashflood two days ago and hundreds of families and traders got affected but district administration failed to respond to the situation properly.
They stated that the tall claims of administration for sanitation as well as essential services restoration are factual and people are themselves responding to the situation. They alleged that top functionary of Poonch district did not visit the affected area even after three days.
Thereafter, Sub Divisional Magistrate Mendhar Nahim un Nisa alongwith Deputy SP Surankote, Tanweer Jeelani visited the dharna site and tried to pacify the protest but protesters refused to lift their dharna.
Later, Additional Deputy Commissioner Poonch, Dr Basharat Hussain reached the area and tried to pacify the protest but people refused to call off their dharna till anything concrete is done for assisting flood victims.
They said that district administration is dealing with the situation in a complete careless manner leaving flood victims to God’s mercy.
“Our dharna will continue till administration does not act promptly to the situation and compensation is not provided to the flood affected families and traders,” DDC member Surankote, Shahnawaz Chouwdhary said.